The present disclosure relates to rolling bearings whose inner member and outer member are rotatable relative to each other via rolling elements such as rollers or the like.
A rolling bearing in which a plurality of rolling elements such as balls or rollers are contained in a raceway space between an inner race (or inner ring) and an outer race (or outer ring) and in which the inner ring and the outer ring rotate relative to each other by means of the rolling motion of the rolling elements, are used in various devices and mechanical products. If contaminants such as dusts and the like enter into the raceway space of such kind of rolling bearing, then the rolling bearing is affected in terms of its performance and/or operating life. Therefore, such kinds of rolling bearing is provided with sealing means to close openings defined between one ends of the inner and outer rings and the other ends of the inner and outer rings. For example, Japanese Translation of PCT International Application Publication No. 2004-508511 discloses a sealing means in which a circular sealing member having an inner circumferential edge portion which contacts the inner ring, is fixed to a circular shield member fixed on the outer ring. This sealing member also has a function of retaining, inside the raceway space, a lubricant such as grease or the like filled in the raceway space of such a rolling bearing.